A Thankful Heart

As I considered writing this post and what I was thankful for, a song, I think a Keith Green one, ran through my head: "A thankful heart is good medicine, good medicine, a thankful heart" - until I realized it was a joyful heart, not thankful. But that's okay because really, they're the same. When I'm thankful, I'm joyful, and I can't imagine someone being joyful and ungrateful.

(That would be a Steve Green song. I always say Keith Green when I mean Steve Green.)

Thanksgiving is next week, though I didn't think of that at first. What made me think of what I was thankful for were Bible study and applesauce. It sounds silly, I know, but making applesauce always makes me joyful.

Specifically in Bible study, I've been thinking a lot lately about how God blesses us and Jesus' sacrifice, though we are so undeserving. Thinking on that for a while ought to make anyone thankful!

I'm thankful for the glorious downpour yesterday. It was cool how just hearing the sound of the pounding rain made you automatically think of God.

I'm thankful for my dad; it's his birthday today. As I write, we're doing Greek, and I'm thankful for a dad who loves to learn and teach others.

Which makes me think of words. Imagine a life without words. Wouldn't that be awful? At the last evening service, we heard a challenging sermon on speech. Afterwards I talked to Mrs. Bayly, my pastor's mother, and she kept saying things about the many words being spoken in the room, which is always noisy after service. When I told her my little sister is talking a lot now, she said, "Now you have to teach her how not to talk." We discussed what it would be like if we didn't teach kids to talk. They wouldn't have to learn to control their tongues. But then, I thought, they wouldn't be able to hear the words that would help them to control sin, or to encourage others. Though responsibility comes with words, they are of great importance and a gift.

Now, we're having cake and ice cream, which I am thankful for, especially the latter.

Can't have a post without a picture-another thing I'm thankful for.

After not writing for fourteen days, I have two posts in one day. Well, I was somewhat distracted by the previous post...which is another thing I'm very thankful for.

And (believe it or not) I am thankful for Shakespeare and Milton and their awesome (I try to be careful about using such words, but one thing Dad read from Paradise Lost - 'mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate' - was just cool) words, and a dad who'd rather spend his birthday reading them than playing games.

And for Kristen's, "Picture a picture of this, Jeannette."

That was fun. I think I'll probably do this again.

What are you thankful for?